1. Field of the Invention
One or more aspects of the invention relate generally to printed circuit boards and packaging, and more particularly to a clip for retaining a connection bridge device in place connecting add-on cards such as a graphics adaptor card or the like in place on a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increased processing power needed to support high end graphics processing systems has made the use of two or more graphics adaptor cards in a single system increasingly desirable. Typically, such cards are supported in parallel from the printed circuit board that support the other elements of the processing system. They are electrically connected by a connection bridge device comprising a printed circuit board having socket connectors pressed over an array of conductive fingers defined on an edge of each graphics adaptor card.
A problem arises with retaining the connection bridge device in place and firmly electrically connected to each of the two graphics adaptor cards in the face of the shock and vibration which may occur, for example, during shipping of the complete processing system. The normal friction which is achieved between such socket connectors on the connection bridge device and the conductive fingers on each graphics adaptor cards can be overcome by such shock and vibration. Efforts to increase the friction between the sockets of the connection bridge device and the pins on the graphics adaptor card by enlarging, thickening, or otherwise modifying the material used have not proven successful.
Accordingly, it is desirable to facilitate maintaining the bridge in place between the cards even when the system is exposed to such shock and vibration.